Most "Pro-Life" Americans Unsure About Trump's Abortion Views

Story Highlights

Six in 10 "pro-life" adults unfamiliar with Trump's abortion views

19% of pro-life Americans say they agree with Trump's views

One in five Americans say abortion is a key voting issue for them

PRINCETON, N.J. -- Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee who describes himself as "pro-life," still has significant work to do to convince the anti-abortion voting bloc that he is on their side. Sixty-three percent of Americans who describe themselves as "pro-life" are unable to say whether they agree or disagree with Trump on the abortion issue. The rest are about equally divided between agreeing (19%) and disagreeing (18%) with him.

Americans' Level of Agreement With Donald Trump on Abortion Issue

Based on what you know or have read, would you say you generally agree or generally disagree with Donald Trump on the abortion issue, or don't you know enough to say?

U.S. adults%

"Pro-choice"%

"Pro-life"%

Agree

13

7

19

Disagree

31

46

18

No opinion

56

47

63

May 4-8, 2016

Gallup poll

Meanwhile, "pro-choice" Americans are much more likely to disagree than agree with Trump on abortion -- 46% vs. 7%, respectively -- while about half are unsure. Overall, a slight majority of Americans (56%) are uncertain about their level of agreement with Trump's abortion views; 13% agree with his views, and 31% disagree.

Hillary Clinton is unambiguously pro-abortion rights and has talked about her strong support for women's reproductive rights for decades. Nevertheless, the public is only a bit less vague about her stance on the issue compared with Trump's. Overall, 22% of Americans say they agree with her views and 32% disagree, while 46% are unsure.

Pro-choice Americans -- who align with Clinton and the Democratic Party on the issue -- are significantly more likely to agree than disagree with her views: 38% vs. 15%, respectively. Similar to pro-choice Americans' disagreement with Trump, about half of pro-life Americans (51%) disagree with Clinton.

Americans' Level of Agreement With Hillary Clinton on Abortion Issue

Based on what you know or have read, would you say you generally agree or generally disagree with Hillary Clinton on the abortion issue, or don't you know enough to say?

U.S. adults%

"Pro-choice"%

"Pro-life"%

Agree

22

38

6

Disagree

32

15

51

No opinion

46

47

43

May 4-8, 2016

Gallup poll

These findings are from Gallup's 2016 Values and Beliefs poll, conducted May 4-8. The survey finds that 46% of Americans describe themselves as pro-life and 47% as pro-choice. That is a more even division than a year ago, when Americans leaned more toward the pro-choice side (50% vs. 44%) but is similar to attitudes in 2013 and 2014.

Abortion Not a Key Voting Issue for Most

Americans' general lack of familiarity with the leading Republican and Democratic presidential candidates' positions on abortion could reflect the relatively low profile the abortion issue has had in the campaign this cycle. Although discussion of the issue has flared at times, the economy, healthcare, immigration and national security tend to consume more air time.

Another reason, perhaps, that many Americans seem unclear as to where Clinton and Trump stand on abortion is that only 20% -- similar to the level in 2012 -- say the issue affects how they vote for major offices. One in five say they will only vote for a candidate who shares their views on abortion. Another 49% say it is one of many important factors they consider when voting, while 28% say it is not a major issue for them.

As in the past, slightly more in the pro-life than in the pro-choice camp -- 23% vs. 17%, respectively -- say that a candidate must share their views on abortion to win their support.

Effect Abortion Issue Has on Americans' Voting for Major Offices

Thinking about how the abortion issue might affect your vote for major offices, would you … ?

U.S. adults%

"Pro-choice"%

"Pro-life"%

Only vote for a candidate who shares your views on abortion

20

17

23

Consider a candidate's position on abortion as just one of many important factors when voting

49

48

51

Not see abortion as a major issue

28

32

22

No opinion

4

2

4

May 4-8, 2016

Gallup poll

Bottom Line

Abortion has not been a highly important voting issue for the public in the 2016 presidential election, at least not yet. And given the consistently low percentage of Americans who identify it as a key voting issue for them, that is not likely to change between now and November. Still, in a close election, even small constituency groups can have a pivotal effect on the outcome. Pro-choice Americans' clear leaning toward agreeing with Clinton's views could be advantageous for her. By contrast, Trump has failed to establish much of any image on abortion among self-described pro-lifers. How this develops between now and November could decide whether the 20% of pro-lifers who care deeply about the issue will come out and vote for him.

Survey Methods

Results for this Gallup poll are based on telephone interviews conducted May 4-8, 2016, with a random sample of 1,025 adults, aged 18 and older, living in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. For results based on the total sample of national adults, the margin of sampling error is ±4 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. For results based on the total sample of 480 adults who identify as "pro-choice" and 472 adults who identify as "pro-life," the margin of sampling error is ±5 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. All reported margins of sampling error include computed design effects for weighting.

Each sample of national adults includes a minimum quota of 60% cellphone respondents and 40% landline respondents, with additional minimum quotas by time zone within region. Landline and cellular telephone numbers are selected using random-digit-dial methods.

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